Apparatus for storing clothing and other articles



Nov. 29, 1960 J. "r. MOORE, JR 2,962,253

APPARATUS FOR STORING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Feb. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JUNIUS TI MOORE JR.

@MgwW' ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1960 J. T. MOORE, JR ,96 53 APPARATUS FOR STORING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Feb. 2, 1959 FIG. 2.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW- INVENTOR JUNIU S T: MOORE,JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent C) MooreCompany, Charleston, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia Filed Feb. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 790,471 1 Claim. (Ci. 248-320) The present inventionrelates to an improved apparatus and system for storing clothing and other articles,

In my prior United States Patent No. 2,620,074, issued December 2, 1952, a receptacle for storing clothes and other articles is disclosed. The receptacle is an open wiremesh type of basket, provided with a bail or movable handle having novel article-holding means so disposed that whenthe basket is moved to one position relative the handle, articles, such as clothing, may be held against accidental displacement and, when moved to a a second position relative the handle, ready removal of the articles of clothing is permitted. Baskets or receptacles of this type have been found useful in hanging clothes and storing articles such as shoes, helmetsor the like, in manufacturing plants, where itis desirable to provide a clean and airy locker room with a maximum floor space. Usually, thebaskets have been supported by a chain passing over a pulley and arranged so that the basket can be drawn upwardly out of reach of a person. It has been found that prior apparatus for suspending the basket or receptacle has not been entirely satisfactory and capable of long continuous wear, as the baskets are subjected to extreme loads and rough handling by personnel in the locker room.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for supporting a receptacle capableof storing clothing and other articles. v I

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus including a receptacle for storing clothing and other articles, wherein the receptacle may be elevated from a position where 'a person can reach the same to a position where it is out of reach of a person and suspended and locked in the elevated position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus including a receptacle for storing clothes and other articles, whefeiii the receptacle can be elevated and loweredand wherein means are provided capable of taking up the shock when the receptacle is suddenly dropped from the elevated position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system for storing clothes and other articles, the system including a receptacle for the articles and for hanging the clothing, pulley means, a chain passing over the pulley means and connected to the receptacle at one end and to a fixed object at the other 'end, and means whereby the chain is prevented from becoming twisted or kinked, after continued use.

These and other objects of the present invention will ice 2 spring means detachably connecting the receptacle to the operating chain and providing a shock absorber "for the receptacle.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the locking bolt to which one end of the operating chain is permanently attached. a

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 but showing the chain locked in the position of Figure 2, with the receptacleelevated.

Figure 6 discloses an enlarged view, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4, and showing the swivel connection of the chain to the locking bolt.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view, taken on the line 77 of Figure 2, I H V V Referring now to the drawings, wherein like characters or reference numerals represent like or similar parts, the apparatus of the present invention includes a receptacle, generally designated by the numeral 10, which is adapted to be elevated from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2. The receptacle 10 is of the type disclosed in my aforementioned Patent No. 2,620,074 and includes a wire-mesh type of basket 12 and a bail-like handle 14. The handle 1'4 is provided with vertical limbs 16 passing through suitable eye-bolts 1 8 and having inwardly and upwardly turned hooks 20. The basket 12 may be moved upwardly on the handle 14, as shown in Figure 1, so that clothing may be suspended over the ends of thehooks 20. When the basket is moved downwardly with respect tothe handle 14, as shown in Figure 2, the hooks 20 will hold clothing thereon so that the clothing hanging therefrom will not be accidentally displaced when the receptacle is being elevated or lowered. 7

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the receptacle 10 is supported by a link chain 22 extending over a plurality of pulleys 24 supported from the ceiling of the room. The other end of the chain 22 is permanently fixed to a locking bolt 26 carried on a horizontal rail 28 supported above a bench structure 30. In more detail, the pulleys 24 may be supported from existing beams or joists 32, provided in the ceiling of the room. Suitable S -hooks 34 or C-hooks (not shown), supported from brackets 31 carried by the beams 32, may be utiliied to support the p e The receptacle 1i) is detachahly connected to one end of the cliairi 22 by spring means, generally designated by .the numeral 36., As best shown in Figure 3, the spring means 36 includes a coil compression spring 38 and a pair of U-shaped wire elements 40 and 42 respectively. The wire elements 40 and 42 are respectively provided with a pair of legs 43 and ,45 having their ends hook shaped, as indicated at 44 and 46. The hook-shaped ends 44 and 46 of the U-shaped elements 46 and 42 respectively, are curved outwardly and backwardly along parallel axes to the longitudinal axes-of the respective legs. In assembling the basket on the end of the chain ZZ, the chain is first drawnthrough the center of the coil spring 38-. Then, the U-shaped element 4%) is 'slipped through the last link 22' of the chain 22 and the coil spring is slid back down over the U-shaped element 40 until the hook ends 44 engage the lower end coil thereof. The bail or handle 14 of the receptacle 10 is then slipped onto the other l J-shaped element 42 and the U-shaped element is compressed so that it may be slid through the coil spring in an opposite direction from the U-shaped element 4t} so that its hook-shaped ends 46 fit over the opposite end coil of the coil spring 38.

By providing the spring means 36 between the end of the chain and the receptacle, an easy method of detachably connecting the receptacle to the chain is provided, as well as a stock-absorbing element capable of assuming the load caused by dropping the receptacle from the elevated position of Figure 2 to the lowered position of Figure 1. It has been found that in plant operation, workmen do not always lower the receptacle by gradually letting out on the chain but will sometimes drop the receptacle and, since the receptacle is adapted to carry heavy clothing and articles, a substantial load is applied to the ceiling structure 32 through the pulleys, as well as to the receptacle. The provision of the spring means 36 absorbs the shock when such a condition occurs, and prolongs the life of the equipment.

As best shown in Figures 4 and 6, the end of chain 22 to be permanently attached to the bar 28, is provided with a swivel connector 58. The swivel connector 58 includes an eye element 60 connected to the last link 22" of chain 22 and a 100p element 62 adapted to be connected to the locking bolt 26. The eye 60 can rotate 360 with respect to the loop element 62, as it includes a shank 64 extending through coils 66 on the end of the loop, a head 68 being provided on shank 64 for hearing support.

The bench 30 is provided with the horizontally extending rail 28 which may be a bar, circular in cross-section and tubular or solid, as desired. The rail or bar 30 is adapted to support the locking bolt 26 which has fixedly connected thereto the other end of the chain 22. The locking bolt 26 is provided with a threaded shank 48, an off-set shoulder and an enlarged loop head 52. An appropriate horizontal and transversely extending hole is provided in the bar 28 for receiving the shank 48 of locking bolt 26. Prior to the insertion of the locking bolt 26 through the hole in the bar 28, the loop 62 of swivel 58 is fitted over the threaded shank 48 and onto the off-set I shoulder 50, as best shown in Figure 4. The loop is of such dimensions that it cannot pass over the enlarged loop end 52 of locking bolt 26 when the locking bolt is fixed to the bar 28. After the swivel 58 on the end of chain 22 is slid onto the offset shoulder portion 50 of locking bolt 26, a fiat triangular-shaped identification plate 54 (Figures 4 and 7) is inserted onto the threaded shank 48 of the locking bolt. The shank 48 is then slid through the hole in bar 28 and a nut 56 is applied thereto to firmly hold the locking bolt and the end of the chain 22 permanently in place. The identification plate 54 is wedged between the shoulder 50 and bar 28 and is prevented from turning on the shank 48 by being curved around the exterior of the bar 28.

The links of the chain 22 are generally small in order that they may pass over the pulleys 24. When it is desired to elevate the basket to the position shown in Figure 2 and to lock the same in place so that unauthorized personnel cannot get into the basket, the portion of chain 22 connected to the locking bolt 26 is drawn downwardly. Positioned in this portion of the chain, between the pulley 24 and the bar 28, is a locking link 70 having an aperture 72 large enough to slip over the enlarged loop head 52 of locking bolt 26. As shown in Figure 5 and Figure 7, when the locking link 70 is slipped over the loop end 52 of locking bolt 26, the hasp 74 of a padlock 76 may be inserted through the loop head 52 to prevent removal of the locking link 70. The locking link 70 is positioned in the chain 22, a sufiicient distance above the bar 28 when the chain 22 is in its extended position and the basket is in the down position, so that when the basket is elevated to its upward position out of reach of personnel, the locking link 70 is at the elevation of the locking bolt 26. When the locking link 70 is on the locking bolt 26, as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 7, the portion of the chain between the locking link 70 and the bar 28 is looped downwardly below the bar 28.

It will be seen that a plurality of baskets may be suspended in the manner just described, in side by side relationship, the ends of the chains 22 each being fixed to similar locking bolts 26 spaced longitudinally of the horizontal bar 28. By providing receptacles 10, which may be lowered or elevated, a spacious open locker room is provided and the clothes, as well as the articIes such as shoes, helmets or the like, may be completely aired by circulating air provided from suitable fans or the like. Valuable floor space, formerly used by lockers, is realized and also ceiling space formerly unused is utilized. The contents of the receptacle, as well as the clothes being supported, are easily visible but are out of reach of personnel, when locked in the elevated position.

Having set forth the nature, objects and the advantages of the present invention, it will be obvious that the invention is susceptible to some changes and modifications without departing from the principle and spirit thereof. For this reason, the terminology used in the specification is merely for the purpose of description and not for limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.

I claim:

In an apparatus of the character described for storing clothing and other articles in a locker room: a receptacle for supporting articles and suspending clothing; pulley means supported from the ceiling of the room; a locking bolt having a threaded shank, an offset shoulder, and an enlarged loop head operatively depending from and spaced apart from said ofifset shoulder to define a downwardly facing recess and ofiset with respect to the axis of the shank; means to support said locking bolt Within reach of a person, said means including a substantially horizontally extending bar, said locking bolt having its threaded shank inserted through a transverse hole in said bar, and having a nut applied thereto to cause said offset shoulder to engage said bar; a chain connected at one end to said receptacle and passing over said pulley means; means permanently connecting the other end of said chain to said locking bolt; said connecting means including a swivel member interposed between said other end of said chain and said locking bolt to prevent twisting thereof; said chain having a length sufficient to permit said receptacle to be suspended within reach of a person, spring means connecting said receptacle to said one end of said chain so that when said receptacle is dropped from an elevated position said spring means will absorb shock of dropping; at least one locking link interposed in said chain above said locking bolt and below said pulley means and having an aperture large enough to slip over the enlarged loop head of said locking bolt, said locking link being positioned on said chain a sufiicient distance from the end of the chain connected to said locking bolt so that when said chain is drawn downwardly and said locking link is slipped over the enlarged loop head of said locking bolt into the recess between said enlarged loop head and said offset shoulder, the receptacle is elevated out of reach of a person.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,245 White Apr. 26, 1910 1,154,818 Van Dom Sept. 28, 1915 1,370,981 McGowan Mar. 8, 1921 1,972,346 Juline Sept. 4, 1934 2,553,333 Schachter May 15, 1951 2,620,074 Moore Dec. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,839 Great Britain June 24, 1909 

